


New Discoveries

by SomeOuterWriter



Category: RWBY, イース | Ys
Genre: Action, Action/Adventure, Adventure, Pre-Volume 1 (RWBY)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-15
Updated: 2019-08-05
Packaged: 2020-06-28 15:55:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,977
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19815559
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SomeOuterWriter/pseuds/SomeOuterWriter
Summary: Do you think Salem and Ozpin are the biggest players in the room? Think again. A new age of discoveries is about to shackle the foundations of Remnant. Follow Jaune Arc in his adventures around a world that is bigger than he could possibly imagine. AU. A reimagination of YS in the universe of RWBY.





	1. Chapter 1

Jaune Arc was having second thoughts about this. A bit late, considering he had already put the letter on the fridge and took Crocea Mors from its pedestal. It was understandable, however, as these doubts have been plaguing him all week since he took the decision to leave home. You could ask then, Why does he want to leave his home? Was he mistreated? Did the neighbors spread nasty rumors about him? Was he bullied by all the town?

Nothing of the sort. In fact, he was loved dearly by his huge family, his seven sisters doted on him all day, his father and mother were happy with his school work and the townsfolk always greeted him amiably. Life was good for Jaune Arc, and he appreciated every moment of it.

Then, once again, Why was he sneaking out of his home like a fugitive in the middle of the night, doing borderline theft and praying nobody feels like getting a midnight snack? The answer to this is only known to Jaune himself, but fortunately, we can get a glimpse of his situation.

The Arc family had history. Really, **really** , long history. The exploits of the Arcs in the Great War were known and acclaimed as examples of heroism and humility. This, however, was only the tip of the iceberg for the Arc's line. For generations, tales of adventure were passed father to son, never spoken aloud as sometimes reality can be stranger than fiction.

With all this, it is no wonder little Jaune wanted to follow the steps of his family. To become a hero of tales and for people to recognize him.

* * *

_Many years ago_

"Ey!" cried a five-year-old Jaune as he brandished a small branch towards his opponent. "You kidn-, kin-, k-. You took the princess away!. Prepare to face me!"

The dog was only happy to follow the game, playfully shoving itself against the small kid.

A giggle escaped the princess, as Saphron Arc was always happy to see her little brother enjoy himself. "Help me sir knight!" she continued her role while watching Jaune and the dog wrestling for a bit before Jaune decided he had won the match, for good guys always won.

"Aha! I won, villain! Now let free the princess" Proudly declared Jaune after getting away from the dog towards his sister.

"My hero!" Told him Saphron "Thank you very much for saving me" She then pecked her little brother cheek. "Let's go inside ok?"

"Ok!" shout Jaune while sprinting away. "Woa!" cried the boy after when a pair of strong arms wrapped around him and lifted him up.

"Haha! There is my little rascal." "Dad!" "Are you being good for your sister?" asked the mountain of a man after putting his son over his shoulders. "Yes. I saved her from the evil villain" beamed the young boy.

"Again uh? It seems you are becoming more of a hero every day, right Saphron?" "Right~ And heroes need to clean themselves before dining so come along Jaune" ushered Jaune's sister for her brother to come upstairs.

Desmond Arc chuckled and made his way into the kitchen. He thanked whatever deity up there for the wonderful life he had. A beautiful wife, enough money for his retirement and seven children that he could not be prouder of.

And talking of beautiful wives. "Hey honey," said Desmond after embracing his wife "You need any help?"

"Hello dear," his wife turned around and pecked him on the lips "I'm almost done here. How was your day?"

"All good, same as always. The new generation takes care of the few lone Grimm that we spot on the area. I haven't needed to swing my arm for a while already"

"I'm glad. You'll need more exercise though if you can't keep with the young ones" teased Jeanne

Jeanne Arc, formerly Blanc, was the matriarch of the family and proud mother of seven children. People always commented on how she looked as young as the day she married Desmond and asking how she maintained her lithe figure. She told them that it was the result of a strict exercise regime and a balanced diet, but in reality, it was a case of good genetics and the effort made in raising seven children.

"Oho?" brought Desmond her closer "Let me assure you I can beat any youngster you can think of"

"Mmm~" Jeanne hummed, closing the remaining distance between their faces and stopping just short of touching noses together "I'm not convinced myself. Care to make a demonstration of such physical power?"

"It'll be my pleasure"

Like that, the couple completed their daily greeting, giggling, kissing and whispering sweet nothings between them.

This is how a usual day on the life of the Arcs was. It was on the weeks following the 12th birthday of Jaune, however, that fate would set in motion the events that marked the beginning of Jaune's journey.

"I think," Started Desmond after tucking the last child in bed, laying in bed next to his wife. "That it's time to unlock Jaune's aura"

"Already? We usually wait until they start the academy." Jeanne put her head on the chest of her husband. "What brought this on?"

"Well, it's clear he wants to become a Huntsman, and he has soaked his swordsmanship lessons like a sponge." He turned around to face his wife better "I was thinking we could bring him along for the patrols close to the town. Give him experience."

Jeanne was not a huntress. She met Desmond while manning the storefront of a local flower shop when he and his team went to complete an extermination mission near Ansel. That said, she had experienced some facets of the Huntsman life along with her husband. Brothers know how many times she had to nurse her husband after a tough mission, and how many times she was awed by his prompt healing thanks to his Aura.

As such, she had learned to trust his husband when it came to these topics.

"If you think it's okay then let's do it. I'm sure Jaune will be very happy to know he will be able to shadow his awesome Huntsman father all day"

* * *

"For it is in passing that we achieve immortality. Through this, we become a paragon of courage and valor to serve above all. Infinite in distance and bound by duty, I release your soul, and by my shoulder, protect thee."

Even though it was a couple of years since he last used them, the words flowed out of Desmond easily, as he completed the necessary ritual to awaken his son Aura. As he expected, a white glow engulfed Jaune's body once he finished.

What Desmond did not expect was for his son to have a sudden cough fit. Immediately he was kneeling beside Jaune.

"Jaune, You okay?" He asked

"I'm *cough* not sure *cough*" As Jaune tried to control his breath, blood pooled out of his mouth and he fell downwards. "Jaune!" A chorus of worried voices was heard

"Jaune! Dammit. Jeanne, call the doctor! Saphron, help me move him inside! Lapis, open the door!" Desmond started barking orders to the rest of the family present. "Hang in there Jaune"

He and Saphron quickly moved Jaune's limping body inside. Lapis Arc had already made room on the couch and Jeanne confirmed the doctor was in his way to the house.

"Dad? Where...?" Jaune's voice rasped out after the coughing stopped.

"Jaune. Here, drink this first." His oldest sister reached out to him with a glass of water and helped him sit down. "Don't move too much, a doctor is coming over so just sit and relax."

"What happened? Last I remember is Dad unlocking my Aura"

"We don't know. One moment you were fine and the next you collapsed." His mother answered "You seem good already, but let's wait for the doctor to check you. I'm sure it's nothing so don't worry"

In truth, Jeanne was extremely worried, but she did not want to alarm her children. She kept hoping it was something momentary and there was nothing bad with her son. The doctor, however, had another verdict for the situation.

"Come again?" The incredulous faces of Desmond and Jeanne paled in comparison to the ashen visage of Jaune, who could not believe what they just heard.

"It's as I said, Mr. and Ms. Arc. Jaune is incapable of using Aura." Explained the doctor. "It's a rare condition and few studies have been done about it. In short, his body thinks of his Aura as an external force, rather than from himself, and like an organ rejection, it attempted to purge the energy out. As such young Jaune is for all intents and purposes Aura-less"

The news struck the family like lighting. Never before in all history of the Arcs did something similar happen.

"It can't be just that. There must be something we can do. Some treatment we can use" begged the father.

"I'm afraid there is no solution for this. Any attempts made in the past to make the afflicted be able to use any quantity of Aura failed spectacularly. Most of them died the moment any Aura was injected into the body. I'm sorry but there is nothing you can do about this." the doctor stopped firmly any attempts to be made to circumvent the situation.

And like this, the dynamic of the Arc family changed like day and night, and it all revolved around Jaune.

His parents started to give him options. To assure him he could live a happy life inside Ansel. To live away from any danger he could encounter.

With Aura no longer an option for the teen, any Grimm was a potential brush with death. No protection, no healing, no boost in strength and no semblance. Were before his parents felt proud of him and his dream, now they just worried and prayed for him to give up and choose a new goal.

Jaune was not going to give up, however. If he could not rely on Aura to protect and help him then he would depend on his skill. Months passed and he kept training. He wanted his family to support him as they always did, but they forbid him of entering a Huntsman academy. There was no way he would be able to keep up and not injure himself they told him. For years he kept refining his sword skill as best as he could. With his father no longer helping him he advanced slowly, but he seemed to have a knack for it, as his skill was visibly evolving.

* * *

_Present day_

Like this, we reach once again to Jaune as he left his house, decided to live his dream no matter what happened.

" _I'm sorry, mom, dad, girls. I know you just want the best for me, but this is my dream and I'm not giving up."_

"For someone who wants to leave in secret, you sure make a lot of noise"

"Wha- Saph!?" Jaune whispered alarmed.

"Hello dear brother. Going out for an evening stroll?" Half asked Saphron, aware of the real answer.

"Hey, Saph… I…. I'm just going around and"

"Can it" Saphron cut him "I know you are leaving." Jaune tensed at this and prepared to make a run for it. "So I came to give you this" She brought out a scroll.

"Uh? What?"

"I don't want you to leave. But" she stepped closer "I know you always dreamed of being a hero" she placed the scroll in his hands. "This is for you to keep in touch. Running away from home is no excuse for you to vanish completely"

"Saph- Thank you" He hugged her, trying to transmit all the emotions currently running through him.

"You better come back" he heard her sniff "If you die I won't forgive you"

"I promise. And an Arc always keeps his promises." Jaune whispered to her.

After some moments they separated.

"How are you going out of the island?" Now a bit calmer the oldest sister asked him something.

"I planned on going by sea" explained Jaune. "Boats don't make me as nauseous as flying and I only have so much money"

"Seems like you actually planned this one. Be careful okay? I love you."

"I love you too Saph. You'll see, I'm going to be famous and I'll be back before you know it."

* * *

Two girls were playing in the sand under a clear sky. The oldest was playing the flute while the youngest listened with interest to the melody it created. After some time they started to go back to their home, before the sunset, but something took their attention.

"Ah!" gasped the oldest at gazing over the other end of the beach.

The wreckage of a boat was deposited by the sea over the white sand. In the middle of all was the figure of a blonde man, clothes thorn and badly injured.

"Isha, look after him while I bring help." asked the oldest while she started to run in direction of their home.

Isha walked over to the man to see him better. "Ah!" Just after she reached him red visions assaulted her. A monster of nightmares appearing as real as possible for a moment.

* * *

_The world of Remnant. Home of the Grimm, terrifying monsters that stalk day and night over the human and Faunus population. No one knows where they came from or why do they exist. For centuries these creatures have stopped humanity's efforts for expansion, restricting them to central landmasses and close islands, isolating and hunting them without mercy._

_However, if there was something humanity was good at is adapting. They refused to die, to be discarded and forgotten by old gods who never came to aid. Their efforts were not in vain._

_Dust, the crystallized form of nature, was discovered. Through sheer will and stubbornness, humanity was able to slowly get an inch back. And an inch was all they needed._

_Civilizations flourished, empires rose, and the elite warriors of Huntsmen surged as beacons against the forces of evil._

_Now, centuries after, wars and overpopulation threaten to destroy the achievements of past eras. Racism and contempt are common amongst the population, the struggles of before already forgotten by the masses. Shrouded in mystery and led by ancient individuals, secret wars are waged, deciding the future of the world._

_Or at least that is what they think._

_In truth, the will of mankind is often found in the simplest individuals. And is in one of these individuals that humanity will find the path to the future._

_This is the start of the New Age of Discovery. These are the tales of Jaune "The Yellow" Arc. Brother, Huntsman, Hero, and most importantly, Adventurer._


	2. Chapter 2

For a moment, his consciousness returned subtly. All his surroundings were encompassed by total darkness.

"... that's final … why..."

_Uh? What?_

He tried to sound his voice out, but no matter his efforts, he could not feel anything.

"... but… he... rested..."

_Wait!, Wh…!_

He could barely hear words on the distance. He fought the torpor that permeated his body; resisting against its master's wishes, his consciousness embraced the darkness closer each moment.

"... enough … obligations… priestess"

The words kept lowering in volume, his losing fight reaching its climax as he returned once more to the void.

* * *

Abruptly, Jaune felt himself wake up. He tried to move but his body felt like it was submerged in water. After struggling he was able to open his eyes a little. Light flooded his vision and rendered everything as a mix of oils over a contemporary art piece.

Suddenly a blurred patch of movement entered his field of vision. He proceeded to inquiry the new presence in his proximity, but only a rasped groan escaped his lips.

"Ah!" gasped a feminine voice next to him. "Don't move. Here," he felt some movement and something pressed against his mouth "drink this. You'll feel better in a moment."

He parted his lips and the glorious sensation of fresh water invaded his senses. He almost drowned while gulping the most he could, his throat relishing on the feeling of cold the liquid brought him.

After drinking all the cup had to offer, he felt the strength returning to his body, and he was able to open his eyes fully.

The first thing he noticed was the one who just helped him. The girl, who by appearance was no older than Jaune himself, stood next to his bed, a small wooden cup being held between her hands.

Round, warm amethyst eyes complemented her long blue hair. A short tress framed the right side of her face, sustained by a small band. A blue dress in the same tone as her hair finalized her look. All in all, she was one of the most beautiful girls Jaune has ever seen.

"I'm glad you are awake." The girl broke the silence with a smile, embarrassing Jaune who was in a trance gazing upon her. "Your injuries seemed to be mostly healed since a couple of days ago, but you didn't show any signs of waking up."

At this remark, Jaune wiggled a bit and realized most of his upper body was wrapped in tight bandages. He was puzzled by his current situation. _What? Last I remember was…_

"Ah!" exclaimed Jaune. "The boat. Water! When?, Where?" His head turned left and right, taking upon his surroundings for the first time.

The bed was in the corner of a small room. Wood lined up the floor, the walls made by the same material. All the light filtered through the roof, enough space between the planks to let the sunshine inside the room.

"Calm down" The girl put a hand on his chest and gently pushed him down. "I'm sure you have lots of questions and I'll try to answer them as best as I can"

Jaune just nodded, still adjusting to the closeness of her face. At closer inspection, he took notice of the large and pointy ears on the girl's head.

"Ears." He could not help but blurt out.

"I mean, nothing wrong having cute ears- I mean! They aren't cute- Not to say they are ugly, just- Ah, sorry". Jaune felt the heat take over his face, desperately trying to amend his perceived blunder.

"Don't worry." The girl giggled and reassured Jaune, lest he burned a hole through the bed from the heat all his body seemed to emanate. "The humans always find themselves curious about our appearance, but if you ask me you are as peculiar to us as we are to you."

"Sorry. I've never seen a Faunus before." said Jaune.

"As I said, don't worry about it. You'll see a lot of Faunus here in the village, so you'll get used to it."

"Uhm. About that. Where I am? What happened to the ship?" Jaune got a little tense, though not as severe as he was minutes early.

"You are in the Rehda village, in the southernmost Canaan Island. I'm Olha, a priestess of Alma" Olha made a troubled expression before continuing. "Your ship… I'm sorry, but my sister and I found you washed ashore in a nearby beach. There was nothing but wreckage around you."

"No way." Jaune was stunned by this information.

"I'm sorry." Olha sympathized with Jaune. "Did you have family aboard your ship?"

"No, but I knew the captain. I-I can't believe he's just gone like that." Jaune got depressed after thinking about it. Old Ricken was one of the few captains of Ansel. He had over 30 years of experience, transporting goods and people between the town and the closest continent of Sanus. He let Jaune get into his ship by free even.

"Again, I'm sorry." She put her hand upon his shoulder and squeezed softly.

Minutes passed without any of the two talking. Olha knew it was hard taking on the news of someone close dying, and Jaune was still processing the information she gave him.

"You said we are on an island right?" Jaune broke the silence first.

"Yes." responded Olha. "This is one of the Canaan Islands. The Rehda tribe has inhabited this island for centuries."

"Canaan Islands." Tried Jaune. "I've not seen it on any map."

"It'd surprise me. The islands are surrounded by the Great Vortex, so communication with the exterior is almost impossible"

The Great Vortex. A perpetual death-zone in the ocean, southeast of Sanus. Not only boats but uncountable airships have been lost in the immediate surroundings of the Vortex. And by the sounds of it, Jaune got stranded in the middle of it.

Jaune groaned internally. The situation got worse each second. Now he seemed to be unable to reliably get to the continent, or just return to home even.

Home! Jaune's face paled even more than before, and Olha got worried about his sudden tension.

"My family!" exclaimed Jaune "Oh God. What I'm gonna do?" Do they think he is dead? What would Saph think after he never called? Would he ever see them again?

Olha couldn't help but feel sorry for Jaune. "I-"

"Ohla." A deep voice rumbled inside the room. Both teenagers snapped their heads towards the door.

A mountain of a man stood by the door's frame. He towered over two meters and was broader than the door. He had tan skin; long, wild, pale green hair like a lion's mane; multiple collars adorned his bare torso; his fierce gaze directed at Jaune, who felt like a child being lectured by his father.

"Uncle" greeted Ohla. "I was tending to Jaune and he woke up minutes ago."

"I see." Said the man, not adverting for a second the eyes from Jaune. "I am Ord. The current chief of the Rehda tribe."

"Uhm. I-I'm Jaune Arc, it's an honor to meet you" stammered Jaune out. "Thank you for rescuing me-"

"Do not thank me." interrupted Ord. "It was Olha who rescued you. I saw no reason to help a human." The chief frowned for a moment and tried to put a more neutral expression, seeing how frightened was Jaune. "We of the Rehda have not had the best relationship with the human community here on Canaan. A sentiment that seems common in the outside world." he explained. "Recent events have put a bigger strain on this relationship."

"Recent- recent developements?" parroted Jaune.

"Yes. The bridge between this island and the one inhabited by the humans fell a week ago. The investigation pointed to this being a deliberate act. Not only that but a precious item of the tribe was stolen the same night."

"I don't-"

Ord raised a hand to stop Jaune. "I am not blaming you of course. Not only you were rescued days after this, but I have confirmation that whoever did this possesses great strength. However, this does not change the fact that humans are not necessarily welcome here."

"Olha." he addressed his niece. "It is time for you to continue your duties. I will take care of the rest here."

"Yes, uncle." Olha did a small bow and proceeded to exit the room. "I'll see you later Jaune."

Jaune, who was a bit calmer than before, waved her goodbye.

"As for you, Jaune Arc." The chief brought the attention of Jaune. "Normally I would send you to the human settlement the moment you were able to walk, but that is currently impossible. As such, I will let you stay here for the time being. I hope I do not have to reiterate what kind of behavior is frowned upon here in the tribe, although I do not expect too much from a human."

"Thank you, sir!" Jaune thanked the chief, who just nodded and left the room.

Now all alone, Jaune felt all his tension leaving his body. _Brothers, where did I end up?_ He turned around and saw a bundle of clothes on the foot of his bed. Trying not to undone his wrappings and still sore, he sat in the bed and looked at them.

His white shirt was there, alongside his black pants and chest armor. He noticed various points were the fabric was thorned and sewn together. _I'll have to thank Olha when I see her. I don't think the chief cared about the state of his clothes._ Shuddering a bit after remembering the sternness of the man, he put on his clothes and lifted the armor up to eye-level.

_At least the armor is still intact. I don't know what would I do if I lost it or Croce-_

Panic settled on the young Arc. "No, no, no, NO." He frantically searched next to the bed, under it, and all around the room. "No, This can't be happening" Jaune put his hands on his hair, despairing over the absence of his family legacy.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, Jaune Arc felt the dread of being alone, with nothing to his name except the clothes in his back, and no way to go back.

" _You better come back."_

" _I promise."_

_I'm sorry_.

* * *

It has been a couple of days since Jaune awoke in the Canaan Islands. His spirits were all low every day. Between the deep regrets of running away from home and the cold shoulder most of the village gave him, Jaune did not have the energy to do anything.

He was currently walking on the outskirts of the village. Lots of sturdy, wood buildings surrounded the fire on the central plaza. His feet dragged him with a bit more decisiveness than usual tough.

* * *

" _Hello Jaune" greeted Olha after approaching Jaune, who was talking with the only other human in the village. "Are you free right now? I thought I could show you around the village and-"_

" _No thank you. I already looked around" Cutted Jaune_

" _Oh." looked Olha dejected downwards, but shot him a smile immediately. "Well, feel free to ask me anything you need okay?" she went away._

" _Oy, brat"_

_Kevin was a middle-aged merchant from Mistral. He ended up in the Canaan Islands years ago while searching for a faster route to the western settlements. Since then he has served as the main contact point between the faunus and humans of Canaan._

" _I know you feel horrible and are still in shock." he sent a reproachful look at Jaune. "But you need to get a move already. That lady is trying her best to cheer you up with the little free time she has."_

_At this Jaune felt affronted. "It's not that easy-"_

" _Of course it's not easy." interrupted the merchant. "Nothing valuable in life is easy. That's why you have to try. You are stranded on this island, so what? You still have a full life to enjoy, and it's all thanks to these people, even if they aren't keen on the idea. Leave the regrets to the dead, least all the effort they put on rescuing you get wasted."_

* * *

This led Jaune to, as Kevin urged him to, try to go on. The first step he decided was to apologize to Olha, as she was keen on being his friend and helping him.

_I'm sure an idiot. The first girl outside my family who wants to befriend me and I just push her away._

To do this he asked Largo, a friendly Rehda warrior who was stationed by the gates, where he could find Olha.

"The Fountain of Prayer" talked Jaune aloud. "Follow the trail east and turn south at the intersection"

He has been walking for 30 minutes already. Fortunately, there were almost no Grimm on the islands, a curious fact he thanked as he had to run from the local fauna, which tried to run over him every time they spotted him.

After 100 meters more he reached a small clearing, and north of that some old stone stairs. Approaching these stairs he noticed a soft melody from the top.

_~ BGM - "Olha" YS VI: The Ark of Napishtim ~_

Once on top, he was greeted by a mesmerizing scene. Clear, pure water surrounded an impressive stone platform. On the end of this platform was Olha, playing the flute, her hair fluttering along with the soft breeze. For minutes Jaune stood there, enjoying the melody until she finished.

"Jaune!" Olha realized Jaune was there too. "How are you? Were you looking for me?"

"Hey, Olha" waved Jaune. "I'm fine. I was looking for you actually." He took a deep breath. "I'm sorry!"

"Uh?"

"I haven't treated you right, especially since you have been helping me all this time."

Olha chuckled softly. "Oh, Jaune. It's alright. I know you are passing through very tough moments. I'm just glad you trust me enough to let me help you."

Jaune was stunned again by how beautiful and kind she was. He fought against his blush and continued. "Still, I feel bad about how I treated you and wanted to start again on the right. Hello, I'm Jaune. Short, sweet, rolls of the tongue." _I can't believe I actually said that_ "I hope we can be friends" He extended his right hand and Olha took it.

"Hello, Jaune. I'm Olha, priestess of Alma and someone who would like to be your friend too"

Like this, the two teenagers shook on their new friendship and talked for some time before returning to the village.

The following days, the two talked about themselves at any moment they could. Olha told him about her little sister, and how her uncle took care of the two since she was little. Jaune confided on Olha about his family, why he ran off and the shock of losing Crocea Mors.

Olha told him she did not see anything like that where he washed ashore, but it could not hurt to look around the beach.

The next day Jaune went to the near beach, way closer than the fountain, and just as Olha said, there was a lot of wreckage on the eastern border.

Before he started his search, he ran upon a small girl. Going by her appearance she was probably the younger sister Olha mentioned.

"Hey, Isha right?"

The girl looked at his face alarmed, mumbled something and ran off in direction of the village.

_Ah._ Thought Jaune. _I can't even get along with the children._

Jaune made a mental note to ask Olha to apologize to her sister and started his search.

* * *

The sun was setting by the time Jaune returned to the village. Unfortunately, the only thing he found was a rusty sword. No sign of Crocea Mors, or any other passenger aboard the ship.

_Guess I was too optimistic_

Sad, though not as bad as he was days prior, he approached Largo and asked if he had seen Olha.

"I have not seen her, so she is probably still by the Fountain of Prayer"

Thanking him he slowly went towards the Fountain. Rising through the stairs he once again found himself in the presence of the young girl.

"Ah." she looked frightened by his sole presence.

_Just great, What did I do to her that she is this scared of me? Are humans that resented by the village-_

***CRASH***

Like flash, the front of the fountain was blasted open. Debris flew everywhere and the scream of a girl echoed between all the dust.

His feet moved by themselves as he zoomed inside the dust and searched for Isha. She found her immediately, along with something straight out of a horror movie.

The **thing** was almost 10 meters tall, and three times wide. Giant arms clung at its sides. All of its body was encompassed by an orange metal, and from his head surged a growl that sent shivers down Jaune's spine.

Just then, one of its giant arms moved above its head and swiped towards the young girl, who collapsed to the ground and covered her head in fear.

"Kyaaa!"

***Cling***

Rather than pain, the girl just felt a strong wind above her. Opening her eyes she saw the back of Jaune in front of her, the **thing** arm retracted to its torso.

"Run!" Jaune wiped his head back and told her frantically.

Still shivering, the girl ran as fast as she could towards the stairs.

The **thing** looked at Jaune and let another shriek.

Jaune put his trembling hands in front of him, leveling the sword against the monster.


	3. Chapter 3

***Cling***

Pain shot through Jaune's body. His shoulders almost popped out of its sockets and his vision went dark for a second, as the giant claw met his sword with monstrous strength.

"Run!" He tried to yell Isha, though he was not sure if he actually emitted any sound, his hearing still ringing from the attempt to parry the monster. The little girl seemed to understand him, as she immediately bolted towards the lower platform in return to the village.

His instincts flared and he barely had time to put the sword in front of him, as another swipe crashed against it. This time he was not prepared and was launched all the way to the back of the platform, next to the top of the stairs. "Gah!"

The giant resumed its slow advance, keen on ending the crumbled figure of Jaune and continuing its path of destruction through the forest.

_Dammit!_ Jaune could only raise his head enough to see the monster walking towards him. _If only I was stronger. He, maybe the family was right._ He chuckled weakly. _Maybe I should have stayed home. Maybe the sword would have passed to a worthy Arc._

The monster was now just a couple of meters ahead of him, Jaune's body still rooted to the ground. _I'm sorry everyone. Guess I'm just a failure of an Arc._ He closed his eyes, accepting his fate.

" _Have you tried looking for a job here?"_

" _Hey, Jaune! Got cold feet!? We didn't see you in Signal!"_

" _Why is brother still practicing?"_

" _I'm sorry, son, but you won't be able to handle the rest."_

" _ **Be careful okay? I love you.**_ "

"Kyaaaaaaa!"

His head snapped after hearing the feminine scream. At the bottom of the stairs was a crying Isha, fear rooting her in the spot.

The orange beast heard it too and disregarded Jaune for the moment, one of its claws moving in position to strike the girl.

At the sight of the girl, something snapped inside of Jaune.

_Move,_ _move,_ _**MOVE** _

* **GROOOOOOOAAAAAAAARRRRRRRR***

_~ BGM: "Mighty Obstacle" Ys VI: The Ark of Napishtim ~_

The beast yelled in agony, hurt by Jaune's sword.

It happened in a flash. Jaune launched himself desperately against it, miraculously finding the only spot not covered by orange armor.

The fog that inundated Jaune's mind was suddenly lifted. The doubts that plagued him left him alone, as he used all his strength to protect the cowering girl.

"Come here you bastard!" He yelled against the giant.

Whether the beast understood him or was just enraged by the pain, it moved against Jaune, its giant appendages moving faster than before.

Jaune himself was completely numb. His vision was swarmed by black spots and the blade felt ten times heavier in his hands. However, this time he met the assault head-on, trusting the instinct to protect Isha.

Duck, left, strike, right, step forward. Beast and man met in a deadly dance that stretched for ages. All the lessons he had ever gotten were tested at that moment. Air burned inside his lungs, each breath he took was harder than the one before. But he did not let himself falter for a second.

He was like a wall; the only thing between this abomination and the girl downstairs. And no matter how much of a failure he was, he was ready to sacrifice his life to save Isha's life.

The beast, of course, did not care about any of this. Seemingly unperturbed by Jaune's assault, it threw attack after attack in his direction, its red eyes fixated on the human who hurt it. In a lull between its swipes, it threw its head upwards and flames erupted inside its mouth.

Jaune, sensing the imminent danger ran closer and ducked beneath its body, just as a sea of flames covered half of the platform.

Not wasting the opportunity, he slashed with all his strength against the body of the giant, over and over, trying to find once against its weak spot, for no avail unfortunately as the beast just continued its assault.

Duck, swipe, jump. The game continued between the two, but Jaune was approaching his limit already.

_***Cling*** _

Once again Jaune was forced to parry a giant claw, as he realized the change in the monster movements.

_It's slowing down. I may have a chance after all._

It was true. While all of Jaune's attacks, after the first one, seemed ineffective against the armor of the beast, the truth was that he was wearing it down. Were before a swipe of its deadly claws launched him across the platform, now he was not only able to parry them successfully, but he now was able to strike multiple times against it.

He was not able to see it, but multiple thin cracks ran across its arms. The systematic attacks of Jaune on its armor were damaging little by little the beast.

With new hope renovating his strength, Jaune sped up as much as he could the attacks, the rusty sword chipping down and cracking constantly by the barrage of strikes.

It was not long before the beast groaned and toppled down, just as the blade shattered completely, less than a palm left attached to the pommel.

At seeing the threat no longer moving, all the adrenaline left Jaune's body, as he too collapsed to his knees. His breathing was rash, panting. His body felt an indescribable pain now that the numbness wore down.

Hurried steps preceded Isha, who launched herself towards Jaune and cried all over him.

"I-*hic* I'm sorry! I- *hic* I-"

Jaune just felt elated by knowing she was okay and tried to comfort the small girl.

"It's okay." He rasped out. "You are safe now."

"Let's get you home with your sister." He tried to stand up, but every muscle in his body protested in agony.

Suddenly, the groan of metal scratching against the floor could be heard. Alarmed Jaune turned to see the, until now, inert giant move once again, its red eyes glowing even more intense and its body already posed to strike them.

"Isha!" Jaune covered her body with his.

"Now!"

A shout resounded around the platform. A blue flash passed over Jaune's and Isha's heads.

The monster halted its movements and let out a final groan as it crumbled in pieces. Jaune turned his head up and almost cried in relief at seeing a group of villagers led by Ord and Ohla.

"Isha! Jaune!" Ohla ran towards them and Isha threw herself in her sister's arms once she was near.

"I'm so glad you are okay." Both girls were crying and hugging each other.

Seeing this, relief once more coursed inside Jaune, as the last remnants of strength left his body. No longer able to support himself even kneeing, he started to fall, just to be caught by the chief who had approached at a more sedated pace before his niece.

"Jaune!" Both girls cried and ran towards him.

"Do not worry." Ord stated calmly. "His injuries are extense but not life-threatening. We will tend to him in the village."

* * *

Once again, Jaune felt himself wake up inside the village without recollection of how he arrived there. This time he was wide awake and found both Olha and the Chief inside the room.

"Jaune!" Exclaimed Olha after seeing him wake up. "Thank you!" She engulfed him in a tight hug immediately.

"Ouch!" Jaune admitted the sensation of being hugged by Olha was incredible, but It seemed he had not recovered completely and his body was glad to remind him of this fact.

"Oh! I'm sorry! I'm just so happy to see you awake after you saved Isha." Olha let him go.

"Ahaha." He rubbed clumsily his head. "Don't worry about it. I'm just glad that Isha is safe."

"Hello, young Jaune." The chief interrupted them.

"C-Chief Ord" Jaune tried to bow his head to greet of the leader.

"I am glad to see you are recovering." Ord told him way more amicable than ever.

"Olha. I wish to speak with young Jaune for a moment."

"Of course uncle." Olha nodded and stepped out of the room, leaving the two men alone.

"Jaune Arc." Brought to attention the chief. "I talked with Isha, and she told me how you bravely stood between her and the calamity. As chief of the Rheda tribe, I offer my gratitude for saving the life of one of us."

He bowed his head in respect.

"As the uncle of Isha, however, I must thank you from the bottom of my heart."

Jaune could only gape at the sight of the chief, who kneeled on the spot and bowed until his head touched the floor.

"You saved the daughter of my brother, who died at the hands of a calamity when she was but a baby. She and Olha are like daughters to me, I do not know what I would do if something had happened to them."

"Chief Ord! I-I" Jaune stuttered. "I- I only did was right. You don't need to thank me. In fact, I was mostly useless. If you hadn't arrived when you did I would not have been able to do anything."

He did not feel worthy of the praise. He was not able to defeat the beast, and Isha was almost killed after he dropped his guard.

"I disagree with you, young Jaune." Ord rose. "Do you know the nature of the beast that attacked you two?"

Jaune shook his head.

"We of the Rheda call them _Calamities_. Monstrous beings made centuries ago against divine providence. You will find their armor is impenetrable by conventional weapons."

Ord reached his back and brought out a sword like no one Jaune had seen before.

It was made of a blue, glowing material. It had a single edge and it was beautifully carved with numerous decorations along the blade.

"This is an emelas sword." Stated the chief. "One of the few things that can reliably hurt a Calamity are weapons made of emelas. Imagine my surprise that it went down by a single arrow of Olha. The skill you showed by wearing down such a monster with nothing more than a rusty blade is extraordinary. Let alone without Aura to protect yourself or enhance your strength." The chief once more inclined his head. "Do not sell yourself short Jaune Arc. Be proud of yourself."

Jaune could barely believe it. For the first time since the accident, he was acknowledged by someone. He was told he made a difference. He had actually saved someone.

Since he remembered, he was told to give up. That he would not reach his dreams. That without Aura it was impossible to be useful.

"Thank you." Jaune bowed his head and rubbed his eyes, trying to prevent his tears from pouring out.

"It is because of this" continued Ord '"that I want to give you this." He put the sword in Jaune's hands.

"Its name is Livart. It was entrusted by Alma herself to the chief of the Rheda many years ago."

Jaune, stunned by the sudden request could only ask why.

"You want to find a way home, don't you?"

Jaune could only nod.

"Then you must travel to the town of your fellow humans. There you will find others with the same wish. To do this you need a weapon."

"But this must be important to your people, I can't just take it-"

"The blade was entrusted by Alma to us with the purpose of aiding a worthy warrior. For generations, it has passed from chief to chief, waiting to be used by someone. Your actions prove that you are worthy of wielding it, and I have a feeling you will need it."

Jaune fell silent at this declarations. He glanced at the sword in his lap, his reflection showing on it.

"Thank you." he stared at the chief's eyes. "I-I'm not sure I'm worthy of such honor. But- I will wield it with pride, and I'll make sure to live up to your expectations."

The chief smiled and nodded.

_You already surpassed them._ Thought Ord. "Then I wish you a swift recovery." Ord made way towards the door. "If you need anything do not hesitate to ask. You can consider the tribe your home"

He left the room. Inside, Jaune was processing everything he was told.

For the first time since he woke up here, he felt hope to going home. For the first time since he was told he was never going to become a huntsman, he felt hope to reach his dreams.

_Maybe there is a way home. Just you wait Saph. Your brother is not going to give up this time._

* * *

_From the diaries of Jaune The Yellow_

_**Demi-Galba ~ The Wandering Calamity** _

_A 9-meter tall calamity. Its body is recovered by an orange armor, with a minuscule gap in the center of its torso. It has claws almost as tall as its body, and it can cut solid rock with them._

_It is slow but powerful. A single weak spot in his torso moves constantly between the plates of its armor. When too close, it tends to breathe fire upon its opponents._


	4. Chapter 4

It had been almost a month since the incident at the Fountain of Prayer, and Jaune was still processing all the events since then.

After his chat with the chief, he was stuck to bed for five more days. Seems like being flung around a stone platform was not something one could walk away from in a day. He had three broken ribs, his right shoulder was dislocated, and his entire body was a giant purple bruise.

He did not protest much however, as Olha took care of him almost every day between her duties as a priestess. That took his attention as he had no idea what a priestess does.

"I'm a priestess of the goddess Alma. She created the Canaan Isles and led the Rheda for generations until she returned to the heavens." explained Olha. "I ask for her guidance through prayers and I'm in charge of the yearly festival in her honor."

"Is that why you always go to the Fountain of Prayer?" asked Jaune

"Well, not exactly." Olha lowered her gaze a bit. "My mother loved the place. She brought Isha and me along whenever she could."

She sat on the edge of the bed. "She said the beauty of the place soothed her and she hoped it would help us the same way it helped her."

"Olha." Jaune took her hand and squeezed softly.

"I feel closer to her whenever I pray at the Fountain. I'm sure they are watching over us every day." She squeezed back after a moment.

Neither teenager tried to move for minutes, as each conveyed their feelings silently.

* * *

Some days later, Isha visited Jaune and apologized for how she had run from him every time.

"I thought you were a bad person."

She explained how sometimes she got visions, and that whenever she had seen Jaune before she had a vision of a giant monster. This made Isha scared of Jaune, but she now knew that Jaune had triggered these visions because he saved her from the Calamity.

After this, Jaune and Isha made fast friends and kept talking frequently. Isha reminded Jaune a lot of his younger sisters, minus the sass, and he made plans with her to go to the beach once he was able to walk again.

After being released from the tender care of the sisters, not before he had promised to not exert himself for at least a week, Jaune got surprised by the change of atmosphere in the village.

"Hey, kid! Good already?"

"Oy, Jaune right? Good work out there"

"Hello there, boy. Listen, you ever need anything just call your pal Rodeen, Okay?"

"Hi, Jaune! Want to have dinner with us?"

Dizzily, he could only nod and wave at the large procession of people greeting him in his way to Kevin's shop. It was a complete 180 compared on how he had been treated just a week before. Even the ones who held the most on their dislike of humans nodded in respect at him from afar.

Kevin's tent, which also served as his shop, laid near the entrance of the village, next to the small river that circled three-fourths of the village. Jaune reached the purple curtains and stepped inside.

The interior of the tent was ample and resembled more a small cottage rather than a tent. Diverse clothing lined the walls of the entrance, stacked over a variety of furniture that, he knew from previous conversations, were in sale too.

"Ah, Jaune. What does the local hero need from this humble merchant?" Asked Kevin, full of mirth while making half a reverence.

"Don't you start with that too." groaned Jaune. "It has been awkward from the moment I had left my tent."

"He. Well, what did you expect? You saved the life of the niece of the chief. At the cost of your own life no less."

"I did it because it was the right thing to do, not because I expected any type of reward. And I almost failed. If it weren't for chief arriving just in time-"

"If it weren't for you, " interrupted the merchant "the only thing the chief would have found was a dead body. You saved a life Jaune, don't undersell it, both in respect of the one you saved and in respect of you."

Jaune hesitated but nodded a bit more confidently.

"Good. Now, leaving aside these grievous matters." Kevin walked to the back and started to rummage between his wares. "I have a small present from me."

"But-"

"And no buts! I happen to like the sisters quite a bit, so consider it a gift from a second concerned Uncle." Kevin pointed to the blue blade of Livart hanging low at the back of Jaune's.

"Aha! I knew it was here." The merchant brought over a medium-sized box near Jaune. "Ord told me you have no Aura, or as they call it here 'Gift of Alma'. So I think this would work best for you."

Inside the box lied a high-quality leather armor. Jaune took it out slowly and marveled at how light and sturdy it was.

"Go on, try it on."

He put it on and admired the design. Intricate patterns were sewn with multicolored thread into the leather, and blue accents glowed at the sides of his torso.

"It was made here by the artisans of the village." explained Kevin. "It was made to be as light as possible without weighing too much. It has small patches of emelas covering the most vital areas."

"I-I don't know what to say. It's incredible." Jaune kept admiring his new armor.

"How about you say thank you, and buy some wares while you are at it?"

Jaune laughed. "Thank you then. You got anything new?"

"Hoho, let me show you"

* * *

So passed four weeks in the company of the Rheda. Jaune, Olha, and Isha made fast friends and kept one another company almost all day. He could not believe how fast they grew attached to him, considering his previous luck with women.

_I want to thank them somehow. Maybe I'll ask the twins later if they know what Olha and Isha would like as a gift._

Today the chief asked for Jaune to meet with him and talk about his stay with the village. Jaune felt nervous but knew the chief was fair and he has only helped Jaune until now. He reached the cottage of Ord, next to the shrine at the end of the village, and knocked.

"Enter." came the deep voice of Ord from inside.

Jaune opened the door and stepped inside.

The interior of Ord's cottage was the same as all the others he had visited the last weeks or the one he currently stayed at. He had thought the chief's home would be bigger to indicate his position as leader, but it seemed the Rheda were modest people.

Standing in front of him was the chief, tall and imposing as always.

"Hello, chief Ord." Jaune inclined his head. "You wanted to speak to me?"

"Jaune Arc. Yes, follow me." The chief led him through a doorway with no door mounted and gestured towards the small table that sat in the middle of the room.

"Take a seat." Jaune promptly complied. "You have been a guest of the Rheda for a month already. How have you fared?"

"Uhm." Jaune tried to find the words to express himself "I'm really grateful for everything the village has done for me. I've loved living with all of you for the past month."

The chief nodded. "I had my doubts at first, but I am glad you do not treat us like animals or disrespect our traditions, as humans are prone to do."

"This morning I received word of the group I have been sending to the Fountain of Prayer." continued the chief. "They have finished working on the north wall and cleared a passage through the mountain that seems to connect to the northern islands."

Jaune opened his eyes in surprise. "Then that means-"

"You can now proceed to your search for a way home."

Jaune got stunned for a minute as the chief let him process the news.

 _A way home._ Jaune mused internally, as all the small bouts of nostalgia he has had these last weeks hit him at once. _Then…_

With watery eyes, Jaune stood and bowed to the chief. No other words were needed as both men understood the message sent.

Jaune sat once more, and the chief continued. "Then, before you leave, I have a small favor to ask."

"Anything."

The chief smiled at the resolute young, before steeling his gaze. "As I mentioned in our first meeting, an object of great importance was stolen at the same time the bridge collapsed. We Rheda have no reason to do any of these two things, so we are sure the culprit comes from one of the northern islands. The stolen object is The Mirror of Zeme. It was given by Alma before she ascended to the sky. I want you to keep an eye out for it in your travels"

Jaune nodded and promised to look for the mirror.

Like that, the last day of Jaune living among the Rheda ended.

* * *

"I don't want you to go."

"Isha." Olha looked at her little sister as she did not let go of Jaune's legs.

"Hey, Isha." Jaune crouched as much as he could in his current position. "I'd like to stay too, but I need to start searching for a way back home. I'll visit you and Olha as often as I can, however, so don't feel sad."

For a while, the little girl did not say anything.

"You promise?"

_You better come back._

"I-I promise." He hugged her closer. "And an Arc always keeps his promises."

Isha reluctantly let go of him, just as her sister stepped to hug Jaune too.

"Be safe." She whispered in his ear. "Remember this is now your home too."

"Thank you." whispered Jaune back, holding back the tears.

"Here, Isha had been working on this before we heard you were going." Olha took his left hand an put a small bracelet around his wrist.

Jaune rubbed his eyes quickly and inspected the small accessory. It was a small wood etched bracelet. Two small feathers adorned the side of it.

No other words were spoken between them as Jaune waved to the sisters as he crossed the village's gate.

* * *

The underground passage was damp and cold but oddly illuminated. Small tendrils of light, filtered from the ceiling, bounced around the corridors. The work depicted on the walls was clearly man-made, lots of polished stones at regular intervals, and pictures adorning the walls.

Jaune had been walking for around an hour, the path going straight most of the time. He reached the end of the corridor, the only way seemed to be through a big door adorned by a blue gem, the size of Jaune's head, at its center.

He tried to push and shove every inch he could reach of the door, but nothing worked.

"Now what?" mused Jaune aloud. "Maybe I missed something before"

"That's an emelas door. You'd think the big-ass blue gem was a good clue as to how to open it." A female voice yelled before him.

Surprised, Jaune turned around and caught sight of the newcomer.

The first thing he noted was the white mask that covered her face. It had black markings and on closer inspection reminded him of the illustrations of Grimm. Next was the glaive she carried in one hand, the edge of the blade gleamed threateningly.

"So you are the one Ord gave his sword to, uh?" She stood about six feet in front of Jaune.

"Hey. Uhm, hello" said Jaune. "Name's Jaune, Jaune Arc. Sweet, short-"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. So, I'm curious about how good you really are. I heard plenty of outlandish rumors, so I hope you are not pure talk."

"What do you me- Whoa." He narrowly dodged a thrust

"Come on! Show me you deserve that shiny blade you got."

_~ BGM: "Crossing Rage!" Ys Seven ~_

Like that, the mysterious assailant lunged once more towards Jaune. He took out Livart and blocked the strike.

 _Guh!_ She hit like a truck. Jaune did not have time to ponder his next action as she immediately attacked twice and pushed him down the corridor.

Once, twice, thrice. The flurry of attacks continued from every direction. Jaune could barely match the speed of his opponent.

They kept moving down the corridor, his opponent jumped towards one of the walls, kicked and shot like a bullet against him. He could not properly block the strike and the glaive cut into his arms.

"Is that everything you got!?" she taunted him as she jumped high and tried to slam him from above.

 _Dammit! Not again!_ Jaune refused to repeat his battle against the Calamity.

He took a single step sideways, almost getting hit by her attack, and pressed furiously against her.

Now no longer it was the battle one-sided, as some of his slashes connected directly and bright flashes erupted from her.

 _Aura!_ Jaune had seen the response before from the spars between his father and older sisters and knew he was starting to chip her defenses. Unfortunately, he was getting tired already. His opponent did not show a single sign of slowing down; if anything she just seemed happy as she retreated for the first time.

"Great, that was better. Now-" as she prepared herself again, his mysterious opponent took sight of Jaune for the first time since the beginning of the fight.

He was slightly limping and was panting hard, but that was not what caught her attention. It was the clear cuts she gleaned from his arms, as blood slowly dripped on the floor at his sides.

"You-Wha-. You idiot!"

"Uh?"

"I can't believe it. What the hell was Ord thinking!? Ah, forget it." She put her glaive on her back.

"You!" she pointed at Jaune.

"Ah!, Yes!?" he stood straighter at the sudden call.

"Whatever you are planning, don't stick your nose where it doesn't belong. Be a good Aura-less human and stay quiet with your kin."

With that, she retreated through the corridor, back to the entrance. "We better not meet again!"

"Wha-" Jaune just stood there, Livart in front of him, and confused as all hell.

"What was that?"

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another week, another chapter of New Discoveries.
> 
> I liked this chapter. It let me try my hand at more consistent dialogue, a small fight and fleshing out some connections between Jaune and the Rheda.
> 
> Now, some of you probably are going to go "You gender-bent Geis!?"
> 
> So let me answer that one straight. No. This is a complete OC. Actually, there is going to be few Ys protagonists here. All roles are going to someone from RWBY. For this instance, however, I felt the best was an OC.
> 
> Here others will cry "An OC!?"
> 
> Well, yes. I have to warn you all, this particular OC is going to have a key protagonist in all of the story from now on. Is she a love interest? Is she related to RWBY? Is she a SI? Is she a Mary-Sue!?
> 
> No (technically), yes, no, and I'll try my best to not write her 1D.
> 
> From here on, I'll start to show the RWBY connections, the link between both worlds lore, and all the changes I plan to make, so I hope you don't drop this story just because it has an OC as a key character.
> 
> I swear I have everything planned. I can only hope you'll like it.
> 
> A small notice. I'm starting as a TA in about a week, so maybe I'll be late with the next update. I'll try everything in my power to have the next chapter on time.
> 
> Once again, thanks to everyone for reading.
> 
> SomeOuterWriter out.


	5. Chapter 5

"Haaa- Haaa-" A wave of dizziness took hold of Jaune. He leaned into the wall and tried to control his breathing.

With great effort, he loosened the iron grip he had around his sword. The moment he did, all strength left his arms and he could not help but let his sword drop with a small clang.

Little by little, all the adrenaline flushed out of his system. The dull achings from the fight grew instantly as he lied on the stone floor.

_I'll just… lay here…_

Before long, the thin rays that filtered through the roof diminished. Now in total darkness, Jaune found his eyelids growing heavier by the second.

* * *

"Ugh! My head~" Jaune moaned, sprawled on the hard floor of the underground corridor.

All his body felt stiff as a rock, his head was pounding and his arms' cuts stung fiercely. He tried to get up, but all his joints popped in protest.

After some minutes struggling, he was able to sit against the nearest wall. He blinked rapidly to get the tears oof his eyes and noticed he could not see anything.

 _Already dark._ He blinked some more. _What the hell was that?_

Images of his most recent fight played in his mind. _Ugh, she hit as hard as the Calamity. I knew dad hold himself back, but this is ridiculous._

Jaune knew he would struggle to catch up to people with Aura, but he just realized how wide the gap was in reality.

He waited for about an hour, or at least what he thought was an hour without any kind of reference, before trying to stand up. Fortunately, it seemed that all his wounds were superficial; he had stopped bleeding and he did not feel any pain besides some bruises.

His eyes started to get used to the deep darkness and he caught sight of a soft glow from one of the corridor ends. With no better idea of what to do, he decided the best course of action would be to move to the only source of light he could see.

_I hope I'm not returning to the entrance._

He made a mental checklist of his belongings and started the walk towards the light. Not long after he saw the origin of the light.

It was the door he had tried to open unsuccessfully before his mysterious opponent assaulted him. The door was about 8 feet wide and, judging from the small illuminated areas he could distinguish, hand-crafted with care and precision.

Rainbow colored lines, covered the surface of the door with abstract patterns. On the center, a big aqua-colored gem glowed softly.

Jaune tried once again to interact with the door to no avail. No amount of pushing or pulling was able to move an inch of the imponent door.

"Argh! Stupid door. Keep closed then."

He sat again on the floor, arms closed, with his back against the door. _Now what? This thing doesn't budge._ He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. _Maybe It'd be for the best to return to the village and ask for help. Who knows if that crazy woman tries to kill me again._

Now oriented to the way to the entrance, Jaune decided to return. Just as he started to stand up, however, a soft glow before him caught his attention. "Uh?"

Strapped on his back, Livart was emitting light in the same way as the door.

" _That's an emelas door. You'd think the big-ass blue gem was a good clue as to how to open it."_

Jaune took his sword and raised it towards the door. Immediately the glow of both door and sword grew in intensity. "Ugh, too bright." He stepped closer to the door, arm covering his eyes, and touched the gem with Livart.

The brightness dimmed almost completely as whirring noises started to sound. From its center, the door split vertically and slid to the right and left, opening a way inside.

"He, thanks, crazy woman." Maybe he would not yell at the woman next time he sees her. "Whoa-"

The interior of the newly accessible room suddenly lit the moment Jaune stepped inside. Dozens of torches lined up the walls of the room, and he could see more clearly the architecture of the place.

Various chunks of the ceiling were on the floor. A constant stream of water descended from the holes left and continued to the next area. Not a single patch of the walls was without some decoration.

He recognized a mosaic of Livart, with the same glow as the sword, in the middle of the room. Besides it, he discerned two more swords left and right of Livart, red and yellow in that order.

Before continuing he tried to take one of the torches in case he would find himself in total darkness again, but none of them budged.

He gave up and left the room to the north to another corridor, tough thankfully way shorter than the previous one. Jaune was tired and hungry, and could not wait to reach the surface of the ruins.

He kept walking at a sedate pace, and it was no long before he reached a flight of stairs going up. With renewed energy, he started to go up to the second floor when he heard a low growl from above.

Jaune took a glance and jumped down in alarm at the sight of a charging black mass. Said black mass crashed loudly against the place he was just standing on. Jaune took out Livart and prepared himself against the sudden enemy.

"Grrr~" As the small cloud of dust dispersed, the unmistakable form of a young Beowolf charged again against Jaune.

"Ah!" Surprised at his first encounter with a Grimm, Jaune dodged to the side as the Beowolf kept attacking. It took him a bit to get over his surprise, and he kept only dodging for almost a minute.

Tired of being on the defensive, Jaune met the charging Grimm with a frontal slash of Livart. "Haaa!" Surprisingly for Jaune, the Grimm was cleaved in two and dispersed with no actual effort in his swing.

"Uh. That was easy." Elated at his victory, first one without injury, Jaune did not expect the three Beowolves that charged at him directly from the second floor.

Alarmed, he only had time to raise his sword again before the first one clashed against him.

"Ugh." While the strength took him by surprise, it was nowhere near what his previous enemies had. He quickly pushed the Grimm and stepped back before the other two struck him.

Just as he prepared himself to go against the pack of Beowolves, all three of the Grimm were struck by fire and exploded to dust.

"Aha!" A voice was heard from above. Still gaping at the quick and messy destruction of the Grimm, Jaune could only blink at the sudden arrival of the stranger who helped him.

"What a pleasant surprise!" In a flash, the newcomer had run from the second floor next to Jaune. "Greetings young man. Bartholomew Oobleck, Doctor in Anthropology." The newly identified person introduced himself. "I didn't expect to find a new face down here, coming from a previously sealed area none the less."

The newcomer had green spiky hair and round thick glasses. He was dressed in an unbuttoned brown coat, a white shirt, and brown shorts. In his right hand, he ported a strange baton-like weapon Jaune did not recognize.

"Ah. Hello. I'm Jaune, Jaune Arc." Still shaking hands with the Doctor, Jaune introduced himself. "I didn't expect to find anyone down here neither. Thanks for the help with the Beowolves."

"Of course, it was my pleasure." The Doctor told Jaune. "I was fighting a large pack early and some of them split from the group, so I followed them down here. I'm glad you didn't sustain any injuries." Oobleck let go of Jaune's hand and stepped closer.

"Jaune Arc you said? Are you related to Desmond Arc?"

"Ah, yes" Jaune stood in attention at the mention of his father. "He's my dad. Were you teammates?"

"In a manner of speaking. We were in the same year in Beacon, and we went in various joint missions once we graduated. I see you decided to follow his footsteps." Oobleck nodded towards his sword. "How is Ord these days?"

"Uh? You know Chief Ord?" Jaune blinked at the sudden change of subject.

"Indeed. I was in course to investigate a series of caverns in a small island north of here when a storm hit us by surprise. The Rheda tribe rescued my team and me from the western coast." Oobleck explained with wide gestures. "Letting aside the forced stay in the islands, I'm glad I came here. It was a fascinating experience to observe such a close group of Faunus up close. The Chief was extremely pleasant to work with and the topic of Livart came frequently in my conversations with him. Considering the worsening relations between the Faunus and humans on Canaan, and Remnant in general, the fact that he gave you Livart shows an incredible trust from the entire village. It pleases me greatly to see such an example of interspecies dialogue."

"Now." The Doctor continued as he pulled Jaune towards the second floor. "It is getting late and I don't see you with equipment for camping. Preparations are vital for any expedition and the terrain outside can be treacherous for even experienced adventurers. I have a campfire ready and enough rations for tonight. Tomorrow I will escort you to the human settlement. Meanwhile, Would you mind telling me how has been your stay here on the Canaan region?"

Too tired to argue, and enticed by the promise of food, Jaune let himself be dragged upstairs.

* * *

"I see. It is very fortunate that you were there. To think such a monster was so close to the village again, and that you dealt with it with no Aura. Now I understand the decision made by the Chief, and I agree completely with it."

Jaune and Oobleck were currently sitting next to a small fire near the entrance of the ruins, signaled by the Doctor. Jaune had just finished narrating his first week with the Rheda to Oobleck and both were eating the rations the Doctor had with him.

Jaune accepted the praise of Oobleck bashfully and proceeded with the rest of his tale.

"After that, I got stuck in bed for another week."

"A week?"

"Yes. With no Aura, I had to heal naturally." Jaune scratched the back of his head.

"That is impressive." Jaune stopped his motions and sought the eyes of the Doctor after this remark. "I have seen various cases of similar injuries in my tenure at Beacon, and they can take up to three days to heal, even with Aura and professional treatment. That you recuperated on the same timeframe shows a very strong body foundation."

Jaune perked up at the mention of the prestigious academy. "You are a professor at Beacon?"

"Yes. I teach at Beacon the class of History, though I would insist you keep the Doctor part in my name."

"History?" Jaune asked puzzled.

"Not all a Huntsman does is fighting the Grimm, a fact many students struggle to learn at first. You will find that no matter your profession, History can be a valuable tool and source of information."

Oobleck finished his meal and gestured toward a tent next to the fire. "Now, I suggest we retire for today. The jungle can be difficult to navigate and I would prefer to not camp again on our trek to civilization."

Jaune nodded and rushed the rest of his meal. It did not take long for him to succumb to sleep once he relaxed inside the tent.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nobody expects the Oobleck Grimmquisition!
> 
> Hey everyone, new week new chapter. As always, thanks for reading.
> 
> This is like a fifth shorter than usual, but it felt natural to stop here as the first true buffer after all the action (small scuffle with the Grimm not counting).
> 
> I hope my characterization is somewhat believable and not making everybody sound or feel the same.
> 
> Did anyone expect Oobleck? I actually didn't. I had planned for a different character first, but the moment I sat down to write the chapter Oobleck charged right in and refused to budge.
> 
> About Jaune's paring, it's set in stone, though it would be until Post-Vol3 that anything happens about it. If I say anything it would be a looot of spoilers, so if you really really can't live without being sure who Jaune's going to end up with, send me a PM and I'll tell you.
> 
> I start my TA job and tough I'm free of normal classes I decided to take an extra course with a whole year of duration. So again, I'll try to keep the weekly updates as best as I can but don't think I abandoned if I don't update as regularly.
> 
> Thanks for reading my rants!
> 
> SomeOuterWriter out.


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